11 May
2010
11 May
'10
1:52 p.m.
I think a more instructive demonstration might be
"I have two
ordinary incandescent light bulbs (line/mains operation rated). One
is labeled as 40W; the other as 100W. I hook them in series and
connect the resulting circuit to mains/line current. Which one glows
brighter?"
Since they are in series, they are both passing the same current.
Therefore the power disipated is porportional to the resistance. A 40W
bulb will have a higher resistance than a 100W bulb, so, making
reasonable assumptions about the bulbs, the 40W one will be brighter.
-tony